Christchurch hosted the 2011 South Island Championship in late July. Of the 25 entrants the clear favourite was local FM Stephen Lukey, the only titled player in the field. He was competing in the event for the first time since relocating back to his home city after a number of years based in Wellington, but prior to that had won the trophy several times. Lukey convincingly reclaimed the South Island title with a score of 7½/8, a full point ahead of the writer in second place. Third was John MacDonald of Wanganui on 6, who lost to the leading two, but was ruthless with everyone else. Defending Joint Champion Hamish Gold of Otago finished strongly to join a tie for fourth and the under 1900 grade on 5 points, while Otago junior Leighton Nicholls played well in his first major event to win the under 1600 grade on 4 points. Today's game is a good example of Lukey's attractive risk-taking style. He is playing Black in the fifth round at Christchurch against second seed MacDonald.
1.c4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.d3 O-O 6.e4 fxe4 7.dxe4 e5
The opening is an Anglo-Dutch, in that White's English opening 1 c4 has been met with the Dutch 1...f5 and White has refrained from transposing into a normal Dutch by playing d2-d4. Black's plan indicated by the last move is to develop the queenside pieces quickly and look to utilise the half-open f-file. White meanwhile has the d-file and the d5 square in particular under his control. 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.O-O d6 10.h3 Be6 11.b3 ---
Quite a sedate response to the attack on c4. The immediate occupation of d5 by the knight is more often played. 11.--- Qd7 12.Kh2 Rf7 13.Be3 Raf8 14.Qd2 Nh5 15.Rac1 ---
Clearing the rook off the long dark diagonal. But if White was concerned about Black's next move, then 15 Nd5 would have prevented it. 15.--- Nf4!?
A typical Lukey sacrifice, based on the latent pin from e5 against h2. Black doesn't look to get full compensation or an immediate advantage, but White will have to defend accurately for some time to come. 16.Nxf4! ---
White shies away from the greedier 16 gxf4 as after exf4 17 Bxf4! (not 17 Nxf4? Be5! with a lasting attack for no material investment) Rxf4! 18 Nxf4 Be5! 19 Nce2 g5! Black can choose how he recaptures on f4 while bringing in reinforcements. 16.--- exf4 17.gxf4 Rxf4!
Throwing in the exchange after the pawn, the exclamation is for courage... 18.Nd5? ---
...which is immediately rewarded by a defensive error. Correct was accepting the exchange on f4 by 18 Bxf4! Rxf419 Ne2! (of course not 19 Qxf4?? Be5 winning the queen) Rh4 20 Qg5 Rh5 21 Qg3 and the involvement of the queen in the defence while controlling f4 makes a big difference in White's favour to the line examined on move 16 above. 18.--- Rh4
Suddenly h3 can't be defended, as 18 Nf4? runs into Be5! 19.Bg5 Rxh3+!
This time acceptance is forced, fatally weakening the light squares around the white king. 20.Bxh3 Bxh3 21.Rg1 Ne5! 22.Qe2? ---
The knight can't be allowed to settle on f3. But even after the better 22 Rg3 Nf3 23 Rxf3! Rxf3 Black is a pawn up with an overwhelming position. E.g: 24 Rg1 Qf7 25 Be3 Be5+ 26 Kh1 c6 27 Nb4 Bf1! when 28 Rxf1 allows mate in 3 starting with Rh3+. 22.--- Nf3+ 23.Kh1 ---
Leading to mate in three from the position in today's diagram. 23.--- Bg2+! 24.Kxg2 Qg4+ White Resigns
Lukey reclaims South Island title
Problem: Black to play and mate in 3.
Christchurch hosted the 2011 South Island Championship in late July. Of the 25 entrants the clear favourite was local FM Stephen Lukey, the only titled player in the field. He was competing in the event for the first time since relocating back to his home city after a number of years based in Wellington, but prior to that had won the trophy several times.
Lukey convincingly reclaimed the South Island title with a score of 7½/8, a full point ahead of the writer in second place. Third was John MacDonald of Wanganui on 6, who lost to the leading two, but was ruthless with everyone else. Defending Joint Champion Hamish Gold of Otago finished strongly to join a tie for fourth and the under 1900 grade on 5 points, while Otago junior Leighton Nicholls played well in his first major event to win the under 1600 grade on 4 points.
Today's game is a good example of Lukey's attractive risk-taking style. He is playing Black in the fifth round at Christchurch against second seed MacDonald.
1.c4 f5
2.g3 Nf6
3.Bg2 g6
4.Nc3 Bg7
5.d3 O-O
6.e4 fxe4
7.dxe4 e5
The opening is an Anglo-Dutch, in that White's English opening 1 c4 has been met with the Dutch 1...f5 and White has refrained from transposing into a normal Dutch by playing d2-d4. Black's plan indicated by the last move is to develop the queenside pieces quickly and look to utilise the half-open f-file. White meanwhile has the d-file and the d5 square in particular under his control.
8.Nge2 Nc6
9.O-O d6
10.h3 Be6
11.b3 ---
Quite a sedate response to the attack on c4. The immediate occupation of d5 by the knight is more often played.
11.--- Qd7
12.Kh2 Rf7
13.Be3 Raf8
14.Qd2 Nh5
15.Rac1 ---
Clearing the rook off the long dark diagonal. But if White was concerned about Black's next move, then 15 Nd5 would have prevented it.
15.--- Nf4!?
A typical Lukey sacrifice, based on the latent pin from e5 against h2. Black doesn't look to get full compensation or an immediate advantage, but White will have to defend accurately for some time to come.
16.Nxf4! ---
White shies away from the greedier 16 gxf4 as after exf4 17 Bxf4! (not 17 Nxf4? Be5! with a lasting attack for no material investment) Rxf4! 18 Nxf4 Be5! 19 Nce2 g5! Black can choose how he recaptures on f4 while bringing in reinforcements.
16.--- exf4
17.gxf4 Rxf4!
Throwing in the exchange after the pawn, the exclamation is for courage...
18.Nd5? ---
...which is immediately rewarded by a defensive error. Correct was accepting the exchange on f4 by 18 Bxf4! Rxf419 Ne2! (of course not 19 Qxf4?? Be5 winning the queen) Rh4 20 Qg5 Rh5 21 Qg3 and the involvement of the queen in the defence while controlling f4 makes a big difference in White's favour to the line examined on move 16 above.
18.--- Rh4
Suddenly h3 can't be defended, as 18 Nf4? runs into Be5!
19.Bg5 Rxh3+!
This time acceptance is forced, fatally weakening the light squares around the white king.
20.Bxh3 Bxh3
21.Rg1 Ne5!
22.Qe2? ---
The knight can't be allowed to settle on f3. But even after the better 22 Rg3 Nf3 23 Rxf3! Rxf3 Black is a pawn up with an overwhelming position. E.g: 24 Rg1 Qf7 25 Be3 Be5+ 26 Kh1 c6 27 Nb4 Bf1! when 28 Rxf1 allows mate in 3 starting with Rh3+.
22.--- Nf3+
23.Kh1 ---
Leading to mate in three from the position in today's diagram.
23.--- Bg2+!
24.Kxg2 Qg4+
White Resigns
0-1
Solution: 1 ... Bg2+! 2 Kxg2 (2 Rxg2 Qh3+ 3 Rh2 Qxh2#) Qg4+ 3 Kh1 (3 Kf1 Qxg1#) Qh3#.